The hashtag #ArrestedDevelopment has been used almost 20,000 times in reaction to the piece, which was published on Wednesday in advance of the release of a new series of the cult show on 29 May.

Walter, who plays matriarch Lucille Bluth, described to the New York Times through tears an incident in which co-star Jeffrey Tambor verbally harassed her, claiming nobody had ever treated her like that on set.

Much of the criticism centres on interactions between Walter and Bateman. As Walter described the incident, Bateman told her that harassment happens all the time and appeared to excuse Tambor’s behaviour.

Fans accused him of “mansplaining” the film industry to Walter, a veteran actress who won the Golden Globe for best new actress in 1967 when Bateman was two years old.

one small but very striking thing from that nyt arrested development interview: jason bateman essentially explaining "how the industry works" to jessica walter, as if she isn't an accomplished veteran of the same industry.

It is really something how Jessica Walter cries and says she's working on getting over Jeffrey Tambor screaming at her on set, while three different men from ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT try to manage her, telling her it's all just normal TV business. https://t.co/nxC7DvKkvf

“What strikes me about this exchange is how many times Jessica Walter has to clarify and reiterate that no one has ever spoken to her as inexcusably as Jeffrey Tambor has, because the rest of the cast repeatedly interrupt her to downplay it,” wrote journalist Kevin Fallon on Twitter.

“I’m glad people get to see, at least once in a while, what it’s really like for women in Hollywood. 99% of your fave dudes are problematic,” tweeted film director Lexi Alexander, who has spoken publicly about lack of opportunities for female directors.

I can’t stop thinking about that NYT interview with the Arrested Development cast. It’s such a perfect distillation of men’s reflexive instinct to protect other men at the expense of women. And then men wonder why harassment — in all its forms — is still such a pervasive issue.